Grown Again

The fallen seed was newly born

And sprouted through the soil toward the sun,

But soon it stretched too far, too fast,

Collapsing when expanding clouds had won

The sky.

Years passed until the present morn

When, once again, the life of days gone by

Returns to grow again and cast

Its gaze to capture sunshine’s warm supply

Of light.

But now, more sturdy branches run

And spread more slowly to a humble height.

Imperfect yet, the rising stem will try

To stand

Through any storm or chill of night.

This is the second poem in a series about beginnings. In this case, it describes starting something, failing, learning from that failure, and then beginning again.

Above the Stars of Eden

Above the stars of Eden burns

A night without an ending,

And, out of it, a presence turns

To gaze upon the life ascending

Upon a small, revolving world

Of blue, with green that’s newly growing.

A consciousness has come uncurled,

Commenced its crawl to greater knowing,

But, with its rise, the chance to fall

Comes too, and, with each new discerning,

The danger heightens. Life stands tall

To reach beyond its station, learning

That therein lies the path to progress,

But also, possibly, its own undoing.

The cosmic presence watches all

And asks which way this garden’s life is going.


I thought I'd start the new year with some poems about beginnings. This is the first one, which calls back to the beginning of the human race. Even today, though, I think the question at the end is still quite relevant.

Intertwining

With this post, I'd like to get the word out about a new music album I finished putting together last year. It's available on Amazon, and you should also be able to find and download it through online music streaming services. Below, I've reproduced the back page of the CD booklet, which includes a poem and general description of the music.

INTERTWINING

The moon is full tonight, as is my soul,

A circle filled with light, and all feels whole,

Pieces long divided, now together,

Held, embraced by love’s unending tether.

But now as I reflect upon the past

And look ahead to what our lives might bring,

I know that these relationships will last

And grow as all our voices join and sing.

I see it now – my soul is not in parts.

It stretches, touching all your distant hearts

Across the globe, and you and I will be

Forever woven close in harmony.

Tonight, I leave, my eyes and heart still shining,

For always will our souls be intertwining.

This album of cello, piano, and guitar music is a reflection on my time in Uganda as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Its inspiration came when I returned to Uganda a few years after my service ended. Visiting my friends there for such a short time, only to leave again, was difficult. However, one friend gave me the gift pictured on the cover of this album - a wood carving with both of our names written on the base. The twisting, intertwining design suggested to me that, although we may be far apart, our lives remain connected. With this music and the simple poems contained in this booklet, I've tried to convey that idea, along with what I think is a broader implication: Only together, in connection with one another, can we begin to contribute to a better world.